Students will understand that vertical and horizontal relationships call for different manners and skills.
Student will understand things that sometimes block them from forming new and valuable friendships.
Affective
Students will feel increased respect for elders and leaders in their vertical relationships.
Students will feel more open to people who are different from them.
Students will feel more optimistic about diverse types of people getting along peaceably.
Behavioral
Students will show more respect toward elders, teachers, and leaders.
Students will be more open and friendly to people from other areas, language groups, of different skin color, background, or religion.
Class Session 1:
Explain that the first part of this chapter is devoted to the idea that some relationships are horizontal and some are vertical. This is a good organizing principle for relationships and can help us understand how to show respect.
Ask students to give examples of vertical and horizontal pairs in relationships.
Ask students to read the Exercise: "Two Dialogues" in their student books:
Exercise: “Two Dialogues”
Please read the following two dialogues:
Dialogue A
Harry (tenth grade student): Hey, Jim, what's up? I thought that biology test on Friday was way too hard. How did you do?
Jim (tenth grade student): I thought the test was fair.
Harry: Jim, you must be crazy. That test was way too hard. I don't have all day to study, you know.
Jim: Maybe the next test will be easier for you, Harry.
Harry: Yeah, maybe. Hey, where are you going now? Do you have a coin for a phone call?
Dialogue B
Harry (tenth grade student): Hey, Bill, what's up? I thought that biology test on Friday was way too hard. What are you trying to do by giving your students an exam like that?
Bill Morgan (biology teacher): I thought the test was fair.
Harry: Bill, you must be crazy. That test was way too hard. I don't have all day to study, you know.
Bill: Maybe the next test will be easier for you, Harry.
Harry: Yeah, maybe. Hey, where are you going now? Do you have a coin for a phone call?
Discussion Questions
1. Is there anything wrong with the way Harry speaks to his teacher? Note that it is exactly the same way he speaks to his friend.
2. Why is the way we speak so important?
3. What does our way of speaking tell others about us?
4. If you were Harry and wanted to tell your biology teacher that you thought a test was unfair, how would you do it? 5. Do you think that there is a certain order in relationships—vertical and horizontal—or should we treat everyone we communicate with in the same manner? Explain that it is really clear from these examples that horizontal and vertical relationships are very different from one another and call for different ways of relating. Break students into groups of three or four. Have each group do a role play to show the difference between vertical and horizontal relationships. Ask them to try to show the good points of each kind of relationship and its rewards. 1) One group can demonstrate friends talking about their plans for a movie and a stop at the pizza place on a Friday night. Then they can demonstrate talking about the same plans with their parents. 2) One group can demonstrate discussing a crush on someone with brothers and sisters, and then with a priest or cleric. 3) One group can demonstrate a group of students doing a research project together. Then they can demonstrate being guided in research by a teacher. 4) One group can demonstrate going for a stroll in the park with their friends. Then they can demonstrate going for a stroll in the park with their grandparents. Class Session 2:
Have students discuss Will Rogers's saying, "I never met a man I didn't like." Ask them to say what they think it means, whether they think it is true or not, whether they think it would be a good motto in life. Explain that there is a saying that first impressions count very much when meeting people. It is hard to change or get rid of a bad first impression, although it can be done. Ask students to imagine this scene of a bad first impression: A teenager's parents invited an important adult over to their house—someone who could influence his or her whole future, depending on whether the important adult liked the teenager or not. Suppose the teenager forgot the person was coming and came in from outside covered in dirt, blasting a CD player at top volume and yelling, "Ma! I'm hungry!" What kind of first impression would the important adult have of the teenager? Would the adult be likely to influence the teenager's future in a good way? What could the teenager do to wipe out or change that first impression? Point out that first impressions are not always accurate. This teenager might be a diligent student who studies hard and is always neat and clean for school but who likes to "let loose" a little on the weekends. Have students look in their texts at the common mistakes people make in the way they respond to people—liking them or not—based on first impressions:
• Inequality. We tend to overestimate people who are better than us in a way we admire. For instance, if I am a person who is physically weak, I may overestimate one who is physically strong, automatically attaching to him or her other noble qualities.
• Personal bias. We have a higher opinion of those who are like us and a lower opinion of those who are not like us. We may not like someone of a different race, nationality, religion, or from a different area with a different accent, simply because they are not exactly like us. • External impression. We often judge a person by their outward appearance. For instance, we tend to think a good-looking person is also kind and that an ugly person is not so nice. Ask students to read and comment on Patty's story about a bad first impression turning into a wonderful friendship when the person took the time to get to know the other person. Ask students to share if anyone has had an experience where a first impression turned out to be wrong. Explain that in order to appreciate people, we need to have some appreciation for diversity—that is, people being different from one another. This could be demonstrated well by setting up a colorful still life you ask the students to sketch and color in. However, each student only gets a black or brown crayon. Have them try this. Then supply them with more colors to draw with for a second drawing. Which experience of drawing was more fun? Make the point that having a variety of colors is more exciting. It is also more exciting to have a variety of people on earth instead of everyone being exactly the same. Mention that just because someone is a little different doesn't mean that person isn't worth knowing and being friends with. Ask students: Do all people have mouths? Do all people have two ears? Do all people have hands? Brains? Feet and legs? Hearts? Feelings? Are all people able to feel loneliness? Sorrow? Joy? Love? So, as the chapter says, every human being has a lot more in common with other human beings than they have differences. Have students fill out the Questions for Reflection in their student books:
Questions for Reflection
1. Explain the characteristics of a vertical relationship.
2. Explain the characteristics of a horizontal relationship.
3. In what ways are they different?
4. Why do you think we tend to avoid certain kinds of people?
5. What kinds of people do you avoid?
6. What kinds of people are you drawn to?
7. What does the phrase “I never met a man I didn’t like” mean?
8. Should we trust our first impressions of people?
9. Is there someone you know who you did not like at first but, as you got to know him or her, you eventually became friends?
Cognitive
Students will understand that vertical and horizontal relationships call for different manners and skills.
Student will understand things that sometimes block them from forming new and valuable friendships.
Affective
Students will feel increased respect for elders and leaders in their vertical relationships.
Students will feel more open to people who are different from them.
Students will feel more optimistic about diverse types of people getting along peaceably.
Behavioral
Students will show more respect toward elders, teachers, and leaders.
Students will be more open and friendly to people from other areas, language groups, of different skin color, background, or religion.
Class Session 1:
Explain that the first part of this chapter is devoted to the idea that some relationships are horizontal and some are vertical. This is a good organizing principle for relationships and can help us understand how to show respect.
Ask students to give examples of vertical and horizontal pairs in relationships.
Ask students to read the Exercise: "Two Dialogues" in their student books:
Exercise: “Two Dialogues”
Please read the following two dialogues:
Dialogue A
Harry (tenth grade student): Hey, Jim, what's up? I thought that biology test on Friday was way too hard. How did you do?
Jim (tenth grade student): I thought the test was fair.
Harry: Jim, you must be crazy. That test was way too hard. I don't have all day to study, you know.
Jim: Maybe the next test will be easier for you, Harry.
Harry: Yeah, maybe. Hey, where are you going now? Do you have a coin for a phone call?
Dialogue B
Harry (tenth grade student): Hey, Bill, what's up? I thought that biology test on Friday was way too hard. What are you trying to do by giving your students an exam like that?
Bill Morgan (biology teacher): I thought the test was fair.
Harry: Bill, you must be crazy. That test was way too hard. I don't have all day to study, you know.
Bill: Maybe the next test will be easier for you, Harry.
Harry: Yeah, maybe. Hey, where are you going now? Do you have a coin for a phone call?
Discussion Questions
1. Is there anything wrong with the way Harry speaks to his teacher? Note that it is exactly the same way he speaks to his friend.
2. Why is the way we speak so important?
3. What does our way of speaking tell others about us?
4. If you were Harry and wanted to tell your biology teacher that you thought a test was unfair, how would you do it?
5. Do you think that there is a certain order in relationships—vertical and horizontal—or should we treat everyone we communicate with in the same manner?
Explain that it is really clear from these examples that horizontal and vertical relationships are very different from one another and call for different ways of relating.
Break students into groups of three or four. Have each group do a role play to show the difference between vertical and horizontal relationships. Ask them to try to show the good points of each kind of relationship and its rewards.
1) One group can demonstrate friends talking about their plans for a movie and a stop at the pizza place on a Friday night. Then they can demonstrate talking about the same plans with their parents.
2) One group can demonstrate discussing a crush on someone with brothers and sisters, and then with a priest or cleric.
3) One group can demonstrate a group of students doing a research project together. Then they can demonstrate being guided in research by a teacher.
4) One group can demonstrate going for a stroll in the park with their friends. Then they can demonstrate going for a stroll in the park with their grandparents.
Class Session 2:
Have students discuss Will Rogers's saying, "I never met a man I didn't like." Ask them to say what they think it means, whether they think it is true or not, whether they think it would be a good motto in life.
Explain that there is a saying that first impressions count very much when meeting people. It is hard to change or get rid of a bad first impression, although it can be done.
Ask students to imagine this scene of a bad first impression:
A teenager's parents invited an important adult over to their house—someone who could influence his or her whole future, depending on whether the important adult liked the teenager or not. Suppose the teenager forgot the person was coming and came in from outside covered in dirt, blasting a CD player at top volume and yelling, "Ma! I'm hungry!" What kind of first impression would the important adult have of the teenager? Would the adult be likely to influence the teenager's future in a good way? What could the teenager do to wipe out or change that first impression?
Point out that first impressions are not always accurate. This teenager might be a diligent student who studies hard and is always neat and clean for school but who likes to "let loose" a little on the weekends.
Have students look in their texts at the common mistakes people make in the way they respond to people—liking them or not—based on first impressions:
• Inequality. We tend to overestimate people who are better than us in a way we admire. For instance, if I am a person who is physically weak, I may overestimate one who is physically strong, automatically attaching to him or her other noble qualities.
• Personal bias. We have a higher opinion of those who are like us and a lower opinion of those who are not like us. We may not like someone of a different race, nationality, religion, or from a different area with a different accent, simply because they are not exactly like us.
• External impression. We often judge a person by their outward appearance. For instance, we tend to think a good-looking person is also kind and that an ugly person is not so nice.
Ask students to read and comment on Patty's story about a bad first impression turning into a wonderful friendship when the person took the time to get to know the other person. Ask students to share if anyone has had an experience where a first impression turned out to be wrong.
Explain that in order to appreciate people, we need to have some appreciation for diversity—that is, people being different from one another.
This could be demonstrated well by setting up a colorful still life you ask the students to sketch and color in. However, each student only gets a black or brown crayon. Have them try this. Then supply them with more colors to draw with for a second drawing. Which experience of drawing was more fun? Make the point that having a variety of colors is more exciting. It is also more exciting to have a variety of people on earth instead of everyone being exactly the same. Mention that just because someone is a little different doesn't mean that person isn't worth knowing and being friends with.
Ask students: Do all people have mouths? Do all people have two ears? Do all people have hands? Brains? Feet and legs? Hearts? Feelings? Are all people able to feel loneliness? Sorrow? Joy? Love? So, as the chapter says, every human being has a lot more in common with other human beings than they have differences.
Have students fill out the Questions for Reflection in their student books:
Questions for Reflection
1. Explain the characteristics of a vertical relationship.
2. Explain the characteristics of a horizontal relationship.
3. In what ways are they different?
4. Why do you think we tend to avoid certain kinds of people?
5. What kinds of people do you avoid?
6. What kinds of people are you drawn to?
7. What does the phrase “I never met a man I didn’t like” mean?
8. Should we trust our first impressions of people?
9. Is there someone you know who you did not like at first but, as you got to know him or her, you eventually became friends?